


Caresse sur l'ocean

by Anonymous



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, M/M, alternative universe - Train To Busan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 17:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15954053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Chinguline are college students stuck on a ship when the zombie apocalypse hits.





	Caresse sur l'ocean

**Prompt Code:** 308

 **Warnings:** Major Character Death

 **Summary:** Chinguline are college students stuck on a ship when the zombie apocalypse hits.

 

The sun beat down drying the blood covering his hands and face. The heat was unbearable, the tiredness was immeasurable but what made him go slowly were his thoughts, his memory, the echo of his boyfriend's wailing, the lifeless blue eyes of his other boyfriend.

"Are you hurt? We can't let you pass if you have been bitten. Examine him!" 

He can't even understand what they're telling him now, though he offers no resistance when they take off his backpack and remove his shirt. He feels something wet on his face, realizing moments later that are his tears.

"Did you come alone?"

"Yes"

 

 

*******

"This was supposed to be the trip of our lives. End of our career, half of the promotion in a cruise ship, the four of us sharing a cabin. Our anniversary falls right in the middle. Our second anniversary, two years, Minseok. Remember when nobody gave a shit about us? Polyamour is a legend, there's always someone who falls behind, you can't love all your lovers equally, blah blah… but look at us now! Together and merry"

Minseok was trying to ignore him. He was unpacking and organizing all his belongings but his eyes kept getting lost in Jongdae, sitting in his now wrinkled bed, talking about his marvellous love life. 

"Fine, what's wrong? Cut to the chase"

"Soo and Baek aren't talking to each other. They had a fight three days ago while Chanyeol and I were double-dating with Changmin and Yunho. I don't know what happened, but when we arrived that night Soo was sleeping on the sofa and Baekhyun was nowhere around. Since then they are ignoring each other: don't look, don't talk, don't even kiss. This was supposed to be like our honeymoon!" whines, wriggling more on his bed for emphasis. Minseok feels his eye tic appearing while looking at the now unmade bed.

Taking his time, trying not to lose his temper, he pulls out his overnight bag and goes to the little restroom. Jongdae follows him.

"I was thinking maybe you could talk with them to know what has exactly happened"

"I thought you promised not to interfere in others discussions"

"Well, yes, that's why it won't be me the one interfering, but you" Minseok looks at him sceptically earning an innocent smile."If not, this can last forever. Chanyeol and I always have to mediate discreetly because both of them are stubborn and suck at expressing their true feelings. You only need to…"

Frowning he looks at what has collided against his foot. "You know we have cleaning service included, don't you? You didn't need to bring your robot vacuum"

"I brought the small one" replies as a justification."Anyway, I'll try to find what has happened but I still believe Chanyeol and you should stay away from it. I don't think it's something serious, surely everything will be okay soon"

"I hope so! And if everything is resolved with angry sex then that would be even better. In the middle of the ocean! Have you ever thought about having sex while…?"

"Get out. Go and find some of your boyfriends and let me live. For once I'll have a place that hasn't been sullied by you. Get. Out"

 

 

*******

Kyungsoo is on deck sitting on a chair along with a bunch of ex-students. Generally, he's not the one to take part in conversations between so many people, yet he's always following everything with a tiny smile. Now, however, he's gazing into infinity.

Without hesitating, Jongdae grabs a chair and sits beside him, placing his chin on Kyungsoo's shoulder.

"Are you feeling dizzy?" asks as he kisses his exposed shoulder. Kyungsoo is not keen on skinship, doesn't like people touching him but he has three weaknesses and Jongdae loves to take advantage of it.

"No, I was just thinking," whispers without gazing away from the ocean.

It's only when Jongdae keeps kissing his way through his neck that decides to focus all his attention on him and offers him half a smile.

"Baek is with Sehun at the bow. Just saying, in case you wanna come over to our cabin and unmake your luggage. Even better, we can call Chanyeol and unmake it together, the four of us. It's not gonna be awkward if Chanyeol and I are there to ease the situation" 

Laying his hand on Jongdae's thigh, he gives a little squeeze. "I'm sorry for putting you in this situation."

"Don't worry, sometimes it's because of you, sometimes because of us. The downside of being in a relationship with four people," responds pecking Kyungsoo's lips.

 

 

*******

"You could join them"

Baekhyun is at the top deck, resting on the handrail watching his boyfriends' interaction who, after a few kisses, leave together holding hands.

"Join them and give up making that pouty face. Partly, it's also your fault; yours and Kyungsoo's pride and yours"

Baekhyun glances at him and exaggerates his pucker even more until he recognizes the tall figure approaching them. Usually, Chanyeol doesn't bother to take care of his image, putting on the first hoodie he sees and a pair of bermuda shorts. Nevertheless, today it seems that he has done an exception and he's wearing that freaking sleeveless t-shirt that leaves Baekhyun at a loss for words, truly a great feat.

When he reaches them he kisses his boyfriend tenderly, sending any sight of sadness away.

"Did you manage to bid farewell to your sister?" asks with his body glued to Chanyeol's.

"No, she got a call from work to cover some last minute news. It seems a disoriented man began to attack the passers-by," explains while playing with his mobile. "I'll call her later. Now, you both have to watch this. It' a video I just recorded while waiting beside the footbridge."

The three heads gather around the mobile screen, trying to make out something.

"There! Behold that limping shadow approaching the board"

"What are we supposed to see?" questions Sehun struggling to see something with a hoarding Baekhyun.

"Now I'll zoom in. Look at her face. It's totally gaunt"

"Chanyeol, how do you think you look like when you pull an all-nighter during various days because of a moment of inspiration?"

"And the blood in her leg!"

This time is Baekhyun who answers him confused. "We have already stated that she was limping. I don't know, maybe she tripped and hurt herself and didn't want to miss the board"

"Maybe. They took her to the sickbay, in the basement. Who is coming along with me to visit her?" asks with one of those naïve smiles full of happiness that made Baekhyun to be infatuated with him since they were fifteen.

"I don't know if it's out of curiosity or just your integrity but, no. I have a date with the hot tub and I expect not to go alone," declares Baekhyun looking back-and-forth among them.

"I'm in," replies Sehun.

"Perfect!" smiles.

"I mean with Chanyeol. I'm intrigued" adds.

 

 

*******

Baekhyun is a co-dependent person. He knows it, assumes it and feels even proud of it. He always sleeps with one of his boyfriends or with all of them if they can, sneaking inside Minseok's and Jongdae's room or Kyungsoo's and Jongin's any time he can or directly sharing Chanyeol's bed; he never has breakfast alone and when going to college it's always along with Kyungsoo with whom he shares all his classes. It wouldn't be a hyperbole to say he tries not to go to the restroom alone either.

But, for those who say that he isn't able to do anything by his own (of course he's talking about Jongdae), he's now demonstrating the opposite while heading to the lowest floor where the spa is. Being on a cruise with friends and boyfriends only for ending neglected at the beginning. Unforgivable.

The best part is that he has the whole spa for him, except for a lovely couple who is, clearly, rubbing in Baekhyun's solitude.

It has already passed the recommended time before his tension starts decreasing. The couple were long gone, but he's still floating inside the jacuzzi when he hears a scream coming from outside the spa. _Fantastic, the dramatic on duty has arrived to ruin his calmness._ Without changing his posture, he looks at the double door and the crystal wall just in time to see a guy running through the corridor and pushing the door to get inside.

He doesn't even look at Baekhyun's direction, just checking his surroundings once before going inside the sauna fully clothed. Baekhyun doesn't have time to wonder why that guy seemed so desperate because a second person gets in. She does glare at him.

"Hide! Make sure they don't see you!" yells, before rushing to the Turkish sauna.

Baekhyun is not the most appropriate one when judging someone's sanity, so he simply ignores them both and waits for someone else to appear. And, indeed, three more people appear, a little deteriorated, pushing their faces against the crystal and snarling.

"The door is that way!" signals Baekhyun finally standing up and pointing at the door on their right.

The three persons, that now Baekhyun notices are covered in blood and one of them has a bone sticking out of his leg, become more frenetic, pushing with more vehemence the crystal.

Curious, Baekhyun gets out of the jacuzzi and gets closer, realizing that their eyes look like they're covered with a membrane turning them clearer and even bluish.

"Oh, fuck" murmurs to himself. "Zombies. You have to be kidding me."

When Minseok told them that this cruise had everything, he wasn't joking. A zombie apocalypses! He had always wanted to take part in those role-playing games around Seoul. He had to tell his friends. This could even be a truce for Kyungsoo and him.

Amused, he moves to his left, cracking up when the pseudo-zombies follow him from the other side. He walks back his steps, they following him again. And again and again.

"Hey! Careful! You're going to break the crystal and I don't think the organization is going to cover that cost," warns smiling until he sees the wall moving dangerously. "Enough! You're about to shatter it! No, now you can't go away!" yells when they turn left and forget about him. If they think they can later blame the crack on Baekhyun, they're way off. He's not going to pay for it.

"Hey…!" starts willing to chase them, but his voice is lost as he sees them springing to their side with their eyes fixed somewhere ahead.

Firmly, Baekhyun opens the crystal door and sneaks a peek spotting a girl with an afeared face in front of them. A girl who seems paralyzed and soon is pounced on by the pseudo-zombies falling all them together against the floor.

"Shit," lets out Baekhyun covering his mouth trying not to puke when he sees the blood and _chunks_ of her body being torn apart by those not-so-pseudo zombies' teeth. "This seems too real. Oh, shit."

He remembers then the guy and the girl entering the spa terrorized minutes ago. "Oh, fuck" spits, probably too loud because suddenly the three of them…no, the four of them, if he considers the girl writhing on the floor, fix their blue-whitish eyes on him.

 _Time to go._ He rushes inside the spa again and, in a supreme intelligent slip, he decides to get into the jacuzzi, picking up his snorkel.

For the first time, he has to agree with Kyungsoo and Jongdae when they scold him for not thinking before acting. Because, just now, he's having real problems trying to breathe through the snorkel and to keep himself underwater at the same time, struggling to grab the underwater benches while fighting against the bubbles popping up to the surface.

He could have hidden in one of the saunas, but where was the excitement in that? He's going to die. Unless this is all a setup and Chanyeol appears now laughing at him. His rational part is having a mental conflict right now after seeing those _things_ devouring the girl's face and limbs and later her resurrection with her clearer eyes. They didn't have time to put on colour contacts. Everything seemed too real

 _You have had enough of those zombie video games, Baekhyun,_ tells to himself. Zombies do not exist. Not that it means that he's going to risk it and stick out his face. He's going to die in this jacuzzi, either because of inanition or drowning or by a zombie.

He has no way to know how long he has been there; seems like hours, probably were minutes.

His mind, always useful, begins to make up truculent scenarios, mostly scenes of Jongdae, Chanyeol or Kyungsoo instead of that girl. He feels a sob bubbling up attempting to escape his mouth and he tries to repress it so he doesn’t swallow any water. He's still struggling when someone grabs his arm.

Screaming under water, Baekhyun surfaces coughing and he tries to break free from his captor until he distinguishes one of his favourite laughs and opens his eyes making contact with his boyfriend's eyes.

"What were you doing?" asks Jongdae, still laughing.

Baekhyun rushes to embrace him in a bone crush hug, Jongdae immediately reciprocating it, used to this, except that Baekhyun is trembling and rambling as he has just woke up from a nightmare.

"Is everything okay?" whispers caressing his soak hair and yes, for a moment, everything is alright, perfect. Just Jongdae and him hugging. As an answer Baekhyun squeezes him, trying in vain to bury his face deeper into his exposed chest, earning another guffaw. "Two hours here alone and look at you, baby. Luckily, Kyungsoo and I came to rescue from your misery"

"Soo?" repeats, putting some space between them and inspecting his surroundings.

"Yeah, we came down together but we heard some noises like people fighting on this floor and he went to check what is happening. He's coming soon."

"No." Taking a step back, Baekhyun runs to the exit determined to go after Kyungsoo. That girl's moment looping inside his head.

"Hey, calm down. We are talking about Kyungsoo, the most prudent one out of us. He's just going to check, he's not going to get in trouble," screams Jongdae behind his back but following him soon after

Baekhyun ignores his reply and looks around trying to find something, anything, that can be used as a weapon.

"What are you doing with that fire extinguisher?!"

"Weapon. Where did he go to?"

Maybe it was because of Baekhyun's fearfully eyes or his despair or that gravity in his tone, so weird when it comes to him, that Jongdae simply points at his left and goes after him without asking anything else.

Driven by reflex action, the moment they turn a corner and bump into someone, Baekhyun aims the hose to them showering a stupefied Kyungsoo with extinguishing agent. Kyungsoo doesn't even have time to get angry, because a second later Baekhyun places the extinguisher aside and hugs him strongly.

"If you wanted to fix things with him you could have obviated the extinguish part…and that race. Should I remind you that the only exercise I do is having sex with you all? I'm not ready to sprint like that. I can't even breathe," pants Jongdae throwing himself to the floor taking breaths of air labouringly.

"Are you crying?" asks Kyungsoo, who indulges Baekhyun returning his hug. "Baekhyunee?"

The aforementioned distances himself from Kyungsoo, raising his wet hand to clean his runny nose and his tears.

"I was mortally scared"

Kyungsoo's face softens filling with tenderness. Gently, he caresses Baekhyun's cheek who automatically leans his face against Kyungsoo's palm.

"I know we haven't been talking for a while, but that doesn't mean that I love you any less or that I don't miss you.  You know how we work. You and I usually have these little quarrels. About our opposite movie tastes, your lack of boundaries, my lack of enthusiasm, your manners when you eat, my mum…"

"Baek's mess, you really should tidy up more baby, when Soo ignores us, Baek's dramatic screams when he loses at LOL, aka almost every time, Soo's slaps that are sometimes too intense…"

"Yes, thank you Jongdae for your contribution," grumbles Baekhyun glaring at his boyfriend still laying on the floor but now smiling at Baekhyun with that stupid love-struck face. The same that is making Kyungsoo and probably himself.

For a moment, there's nothing inside his head. Only Jongdae placing his bathrobe on Baekhyun's shoulders, only Kyungsoo intertwining his hands and kissing his cheek. Then, he sees the extinguisher and remembers it.

"We have to go"

"Yes, let's go back to the spa, please," pleads Jongdae with his adorable voice, one that they never can reject. Or could.

"No. We have to find Chanyeol and our friends and leave. We can't stay here…" A noise of crystal shattering interrupts him and everyone turns alarmed. "Jongdae," warns foreseeing his intentions knowing his boyfriend like the back of his hand, "don't even think about it"

"Haven't you heard it? I'm going to check that everything is fine, I swear I heard somebody's wounded scream"

"Why do I have these curious boyfriends?" complains Baekhyun, while Kyungsoo pulls his hand urging him to follow Jongdae. "We are going to die but hey, at least we will knowing what the hell happened with a damned crystal"

"Don't be dramatic"

"I am not. Just right now, I'm less dramatic than ever. Jongdae! Slow down and take off your flip flips just in case we need to run"

Jongdae turns puzzled, later he shakes his head and does as Baekhyun told him.

 

 

*******

"We are on the Milky Way Cruise Ship, we have just started our journey to Japan. My friend Sehun and I are trying to find out what has happened to a girl who got on board limping and staggering. Sehun, say something"

"Something"

Chanyeol ignores him, keeping on commenting their tour to the sickbay, recording it with his mobile.

Everybody is outdoor at the docks enjoying the swimming pools, the sledges, the bars and whatever activities that the cheerleaders were doing. Possibly, his boyfriends were there too. Chanyeol wonders for a moment to give up the video and the girl and go with them but, curiosity and the habit of recording everything that his sister wanted to, win over it. So he keeps wandering with a silent Sehun behind.

"Wait," says peeking in through a porthole.

Chanyeol halts and tries to peek in too, letting out an excited exclamation. "I have to tell Kyungsoo, he's going to love it"

Inside there were various pool tables, a table football and a bunch of dartboards. Forgetting about the sickbay and the girl, they enter absorbed. The light sensor brightening all the place revealing at the end a bowling alley.

Everything is marvellous. A dream came true.

"A game of pool," challenges Sehun picking up a cue stick and a chalk. "C'mon. Only one, hurry, and later we can go to check on the girl. We should take advantage of this place now that is empty."

You don't need a lot to convince Chanyeol and even less if it's about something he fancies it, just like billiard. So he lays his mobile aside and picks another cue stick.

 

 

*******

"Please, step back"

The security guard pushes the barrier separating the crew members from whatever has happened. At the furthest back, seeing nothing but napes there are Kyungsoo, Baekhyun and Jongdae. The first one trying to call Chanyeol who, strangely, doesn't pick up his phone.

"What's going on?" asks behind them Minseok startling them. "I heard a noise when I was at my balcony and then a crowd gathering together"

"Apparently, someone has swept overboard. Some drunker attacked him. Figures, surely they had had too much to drink and one of them fell. We haven't even been sailing for more than two hours," answers the woman in front of them gripping his purse against her breasts as a clear sign of distrust.

Minseok sighs. Natural selection. Although, luckily they could rescue whoever fell. Meaning to turn back to head to his cabin, he sees Kyungsoo and Baekhyun holding hands. Kyungsoo's thumb caressing the back of Baekhyun's hand.

"Hey, did you make peace?" beams. Minseok has known Baekhyun since he broke Minseok's baby tooth with his badminton racket at the park in front of their houses and since then he was the happiest kid that he has ever known. It seemed impossible to witness a happier Baekhyun, but then Jongdae, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo showed him how wrong he was. It was a pity when they fell out. Sincerely, no one of them deserved to be sad.

Kyungsoo smiles back, but Baekhyun only replies looking at them with his eyes wide open and biting his lips with nervous.

"I… I think we should go. There's a lot of people, we shouldn't be among so many people. And before we heard a crystal breaking, there's no crystal here. Can we go? I don't like this," says without stop looking everywhere like crazy.

Minseok' s sweet words and Kyungsoo's hand petting his head not fail to arrive soon, both trying to avoid a plausible anxiety attack. When it seems that they achieved it, Baekhyun realizes that something is missing or rather someone.

"Where is Jongdae? He was here a second ago. Where is he?" asks erratic.

"Don't worry, he was here when I arrived," replies Minseok in a failed attempt to appease him.

"He went forward to see what happened," adds the same lady as before. "He almost made me fall with all that impetus. Young people these days should learn…"

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to find him and, if the zombies haven't eaten him, I'm going to kill him," mutters Baekhyun pulling Kyungsoo's with him and pushing the lady who screams and rebukes them for not letting her talk and for being pushed again.

 When they have made it to the first line they finally find Jongdae, squatting beside the injured and trying to apply a tourniquet. The injured is not even conscious. Baekhyun can only stare at his hands, stained with blood.

"Jongdae, get out," grunts Baekhyun trying to dodge the security guard to get closer to Jongdae.

"I need alcohol or Betadine or anything to disinfect his wound," yells Jongdae to one of the cheerleaders who is frozen to the spot.

As there's a new commotion and everybody starts pushing each other, Baekhyun slips down the barrier and runs to Jongdae, taking advantage of the guard's distraction.

Jongdae finally looks up at him and meets his eyes.

"Baek, I need your help with this," says with a feeble smile like he wasn't able to read Baekhyun's exasperation, or choosing to ignore it.

Baekhyun didn't bother replying, just offers his hand and, when Jongdae innocently and confusedly takes it, he starts hauling him far from the injured.

"Baekhyun! What the hell do you think you are doing! Let me go!"

Jongdae could scream as much as he wanted, could kick, get mad at Baekhyun for the rest of their lives, make a fuss, but there was no way of letting him get close to that person ever again. He wasn't counting on Jongdae pulling back, making Baekhyun to lose his balance and to fall above him.

With a hiss, Jongdae releases his hand and stands up.

"Can't you see they need help? They tried to call the nurses and nobody came," begins trying to make Baekhyun understands, his tone a mix of incomprehension,  distress and rage. His hands on his butt rubbing it because of the pain, not perceiving Baekhyun paling. "And the lifeguards are trying to rescue the other person. Remember when we signed up for first aid classes? It was for moments like this one, Baek, to help people when there's an emergency. I don't know what's wrong with you but, was it truly necessary to _drag_ me like some trash?" His last words sounded more like a whine, breaking Baekhyun's heart.

"No, bae, no, no, no, it wasn't my intention"

Standing up quickly, Baekhyun reaches Jongdae and hugs him. Jongdae fakes to be upset, but his body betrays him and he ends up supporting itself against Baekhyun's body.

"I'm so sorry. But I know you, you are stubborn…" Foreseeing Jongdae's intention of response back, he continues anticipating it. "…I know I'm too. But for real, do as I say. Don't get any closer to the injured, to any injured."

"I don't get it," murmurs crestfallen, letting Baekhyun kiss his cheek, his forehead, his nose, all his face. "You can pumper me with kisses all you want, I'm still angry," adds with a pout, though his relaxed posture gives him away.

"You trust me, don't you? We are going to find Chanyeol and the four of us are going to leave this ship. If necessary, we will swim to shore."

Jongdae can't help it and a little smile appears on his lips. "As if you and I can swim more than two meters without sinking"

Baekhyun beams at him and loosens the arm surrounding Jongdae's waist naively. He can hardly react when Jongdae's expression change and he gets out of Baek's arms running again to the injured.

"Baek, let me go. Just this once," whimpers pulling forward at the same time that Baekhyun's tugs him back. "For real, this is not the time to play"

 _Exactly because this is not the time to play I'm doing this_ , thinks Baekhyun using more force.

The struggle comes to an end as a sharp scream its hears. Everybody heads to the rail to peek out of the ship. Jongdae tries to pull again wanting to see too what was occurring now and help if necessary. However, suddenly those persons start screeching, going backwards and pushing each other trying to get far away from whatever they have witnessed.

Baekhyun only has to see their terrified faces to know what it is. Probably the same facial expression that he did when he saw those three zombies eating up alive that young girl near the spa. Nevertheless, the total chaos doesn't take over until the injured person who Jongdae was trying to cure, begins to writhe and a second later stands up showing his teeth and running after the people closest to him.

When he charges against an old man, knocking him down, and starts ripping his chest, Baekhyun notes how Jongdae's body flexes and see tears filling his eyes.

"Let's go," says Baekhyun, slipping his hand that was grabbing Jongdae's arm and intertwining his fingers with Jongdae's.

"Baekhyun! Jongdae!" they hear suddenly. They both look up to the balustrade on the first floor, where Kyungsoo and Minseok wave his hands to catch their attention. "Go to our cabin! We will see you at the cabin!" screams Kyungsoo, his pitch higher than normal and his face twisted in fear.

There's no need to yell his next words to Jongdae and Baekhyun. They still can read them coming from Kyungsoo's mouth are 'I love you', words that somehow sounds like a farewell.

 

 

*******

"I want a rematch" states Chanyeol. "No, rather, I demand a fair game without your boyfriend cheating," says glancing at Jongin who tries to defend himself against Chanyeol's charges. "I caught you moving the balls. Don't try to deny it, I saw you with my own two eyes"

During the first half of the game, Jongin has joined them with two beer cans, a water bottle and peanuts. At some point, Sehun has informed him where they were and asked him to come. Chanyeol, on the other side, hasn't picked up his phone even once, too concentrated in the game. He will call them later, once he earns his money back.

"No, we aren't playing another round. Weren't we going to see that limping girl?" asks Sehun supporting his body against another pool table with a nonchalant expression.

"Later. Now she's probably sedated. She's not going to answer our questions. We can kill time playing again. Or if you want to we can play bowling!"

"Accept your defeat," replies Jongin with a grin. Chanyeol complains, automatically, about the unfairness of the situation. If the match would have been Sehun and his boyfriend against Chanyeol and his boyfriends, then it would be fair enough. But Jongin ignores him. His eyes focused on his mobile phone. "One moment, Taemin is calling me now"

Chanyeol huffs. It's impossible to win against these two cheaters.

Firmly, he heads toward the front of the room where he left his mobile when all of a sudden he sees the door closing.

"Sehun?" asks turning slightly to Sehun who is looking at Jongin frowning. Jongin who is still talking to Taemin. "Have you seen anyone…?"

Suddenly, someone pounces on Chanyeol's back. Reflexively, he elbows whoever did it, thinking belatedly that that person could be someone Chanyeol knows that was just trying to scare him. Quickly he turns and bends where the person is lying. The person is a woman with a beach robe, broken high heels and all her black hair covering her face. Hastily, the woman gets up and charges again against Chanyeol letting out a growl that makes his blood curdle.

"Stop! Stop!" tries Chanyeol stretching out his hands trying not to touch her breasts and placing them over her neck and collarbone. "Shit" whispers when he sees her face.

It's not a woman. He doesn't know what is it, but it's not. It has its eyes unfocused, starving, bluish like there's a frame covering them, its teeth are bloodstained. There's so much blood that it drips out of its mouth and drops on Chanyeol's naked arms. It's like it has rabies.

"Sehun, help," begs, trying, by all means, to distance himself from that mouth that keeps opening and biting the air as it fights to be closer to Chanyeol's face.

Due to its strength, Chanyeol takes some steps back and stumbles, removing his left hand to place it behind him to slow down his imminent fall, feeling a flashing pain running down his arm. When the _being_ 's face is only a few millimetres from his face, blood staining his closed lips buffering his shriek, someone lunges at it taking it away from Chanyeol.

"Let's go out of here," says Sehun still holding the stool that has just used to push the _thing._

Sehun holds out a hand to help Chanyeol to get up,  but the _thing_ is faster, more skilful, and despite his broken shoes she's soon back on his feet. However, its attention is not on them this time but on Jongin, right in front of it, with his back turned and still speaking unaware of what is happening.

"Jongin!" yells Sehun hopelessly, holding again the tool to throw it against the woman's head.

The dancer turns. There are tears running down Jongin's cheeks and he doesn't look at the danger ahead, only on Sehun. He's trembling, the mobile against his ear, gripping it.

"Tae…" he begins, but his voice gets broken by his own scream.

Sehun and Chanyeol don't have enough time to react when the woman rushes into Jongin. Either when she collapses with a knife stabbed in her skull.

Sehun rushes to Jongin, to pull him out of the woman, while Chanyeol turns to see who threw that knife.

"Ye-Yesung?" stutters relieved by his biochemistry professor presence.

"Grab those cue sticks and anything that could be useful to defend yourselves"

"Is she dead?" asks Chanyeol, his voice low, afraid of the answer.

"Good question. Though I would say, is she going to wake up again? Because, sincerely, I don't even know if she was even alive minutes ago. Are you all alright? Is anyone hurt?"

Chanyeol looks at himself, wiping with his hand the rests of the blood staining his face.

"We are okay," replies Sehun, his arm surrounding Jongin's waist who is still shivering. "Taemin, no" adds.

Taemin was Jongin's best friend. He was on board too.

"What has happened? Has something occurred on the decks?" says Chanyeol worried, thinking about Kyungsoo, Jongdae and Baekhyun.

"It's not an isolated case," answers Yesung jumping to the other side of the counter, calmly, as he messes everything searching for objects to use. "I was at the gym along with Yixing and Junmyeon when a stranger attacked us. He didn't even kill him. Junmyeon kept agonizing until he stood immobile, lifeless. We thought he was dead. Maybe he was. Yixing was beside me, shaking Junmyeon, trying to wake him up. It was so fast, so far-fetched. One moment he was dead, and the next he bit Yixing's hand"

There's nothing in his demeanour that confesses what Yesung is feeling right now. He just keeps searching, ignoring the gazes of horror, incredulity and sadness that he's receiving. As is it was a fairytale, a spooky story totally unconnected to him.

"Then Yixing attached me when I tried to separate them. They seemed possessed, exactly like that woman. They didn't try again because at the same time the cleaning worker opened the gym's door and they went for him. I run, entering the adjacent bar to arm myself. It's better not to think about it," declares, and this time he makes visual contact with Jongin who has started to cry. "Once we survive this, once we are safe, then we can mourn their lost"

Sehun squeezes Jongin against him, walking them far from the woman.

"I don't even know if that _being_ is going to wake up and attack us again. We have to move. Where was Taemin, Jongin? If the same happened to him, then we should avoid that place"

"We have to go to the spa. Baekhyun is alone there. Please," begs Chanyeol looking hectic at all of them.

Jongin's reply is so low that they can't almost hear it. "That's where Taemin was"

Chanyeol's eyes get bigger and he starts shaking his head vigorously. "No, but Baekhyun is okay. I have to go, I have to help him. He can't be alone, he can't…" _He can't die alone._ "I have to go. You don't have to come with me"

Crossing the room, Sehun takes his shaking hand impeding him to go. "We are going with you, but we can't go like this. Let's say what the professor said, alright? We are going to arm ourselves and later we will rescue Baekhyun. I'm sure everything is alright"

 

 

*******

Kyungsoo whispers 'I love you', taking a last peek to Baekhyun and Jongdae holding hands in the middle of the deck, looking at him with an expression that he has rarely seen before.

Paying attention to the hand in his shoulder, Kyungsoo turns to Minseok, not seeing the zombie that jumps on Baekhyun.

On this floor everything is chaotic. It's hard to follow Minseok's steps who, every two steps, spins to check that Kyungsoo is behind, screaming at him to check that he's okay. People are running wildly from side to side, not knowing where to go, where was the safest place. Most of them don't even know what's going on but are copying the masses. Someone says it's a terrorist attack, other an epidemic, other a cannibal drug. Kyungsoo tries not to think, focusing only on getting out of there with Minseok.

Once they get through the French doors and are inside a square crowned by a humungous dome, they jogged towards the stairs, opting for not taking the elevator.

Every step Kyungsoo takes, he trips over something or somebody: people who have fallen, stranded chairs, beach bags, broken cups that have been thrown away in a despairing moment. Kyungsoo was trying to dodge everything. One of those times that he was jumping in the air over a chair, someone pushes him making him fall to the floor.

With all the adrenaline, he doesn't feel any pain, raising up as soon as he can. He tries to make out where is Minseok, realizing that he has lost his glasses with the fall and is unable to see almost anything. The background is blurred, the figures blending in. Getting down, he tries to find his glasses patting the ground.

"Kyungsoo!"

Kyungsoo distinguishes his name among all the noise. The call coming from somewhere in front of him. However, there was no way to know who was calling him.

"You scared the shit out of me. C'mon, get up," It's Minseok. Minseok pulling him up by the armpits. Minseok taking his hand. Minseok letting out a shriek when someone takes him to the ground and bits his arm, taking Kyungsoo down too.

Kyungsoo can't do anything except hearing the warlike cries and the fighting occurring beside him. There are people walking on him, stepping on his stomach, his thigh, kicking his head, treading on his chest. And then he doesn't even listen to Minseok, he doesn't even hear all those dozens of people that have lost their minds. He can hear nothing. He can see nothing. Just feels the lack of air in his lungs. He can't breathe. He's chocking.

A hand tries to pull his arm. He _wants_ to think that is a hand, but he has no idea.

"I can't… I can't breathe," tries to say. The sound of his voice gets lost. He turns his head, draws his legs up to his chest. Everything hurts. "Min-Minseok," whispers looking for him.

Kyungsoo gets a glimpse of the three persons with their back turned kneeled and with their heads lowered. When finally the sound returns, he realizes they're not _just_ kneeled. They are eating. His mind refuses to accept what his senses tell him, to think the obvious, that Minseok is there, under them, but then he focuses on the extended hand. The hand that had been holding Kyungsoo's. He's in such state of paralysis that he's mute, can't even scream, sobbing in silence.

This can't be happening. It can't. It's impossible. It's…His mantra declines when he sees Minseok's hand twisting. His fist opens and lets a key fall to the ground. Kyungsoo automatically picks it. Still, there's something wrong. In spite of Minseok's hand moving, he knows there's something off.

He doesn't think twice before forcing himself up, hurt for all the blows he has received. He stumbles with a body on his other side. _Seulgi._ Probably the hand that tried to pull him away from the others was her. Her motionless body beings to shake. Kyungsoo hurries up, not wanting to see the ending.

This time he tries not to run as faster as before. Instead, he tries to see where he's going with a blank stare, going to their cabin where he would meet Baekhyun and Jongdae. The idea of them not appearing, of Kyungsoo not seeing them again, never crossing his mind.  

 

 

*******

One moment they're standing in the middle of the deck looking up at Kyungsoo, and the next a zombie is launching itself against Baekhyun. Jongdae screams, but Baekhyun awaits and, at the last moment, he gives a yop-chagui (hapkido lateral kick) hitting right in their chest making it step back.

"Let's go!" says Baekhyun, his hand and Jongdae's still intertwined.

Baekhyun was about to go after Kyungsoo, following the same path, but Jongdae tugs him towards one of the outdoor corridors that circle the different floors.

"Here there are stairs that lead to the basements. We have to go and get Chanyeol"

Baekhyun contemplates his determined face and nods, swallowing his doubts about the sickbay and if there is someone alive. If Chanyeol is alive.

They're marching without stop, not bumping into practically anyone. One time a man run to the opposite side, other a pair of kids, making Jongdae come to a halt to help them. But the kids don't even look at them, continuing their paths. Without exchanging a word, communicating only through hand squeezes and little caresses, they enter one of the fortified towers of the ship and go downstairs.

A loud noise makes them stop. The darkness suddenly is total and they can't see anything. Because of the strength that they used to push the door opened, it has now closed leaving them in the dark.

"Do you have your phone?" whispers Jongdae, restrained by the silence and the obscurity. 

"Nop," answers copying the volume of Jongdae's voice. Baekhyun's body is glued to Jongdae's back, touching Jongdae's nape with his nose. He could give anything to stay like this forever. With Baekhyun's warmth emanating from his body calming Jongdae, as if everything was fine. But time is running out, and a couple of seconds can mean that they succeed and save Chanyeol and go back to Kyungsoo or not.

Their eyes slowly adjust to the almost imperceptible visibility and they resume walking down the steps, carefully. With one hand he grabs Baekhyun's, with the other he grabs the bannister, deciding to keep his limbs close to his body instead of extending his hand.

The noise of dragging feet halts them. Too many feet. Some grunts sounding along. They can't see anything, but they don't need it to know that between the exit door and them, there are a bunch of zombies.

Jongdae tightens his grip on Baekhyun's hand. "Have I told you today that I love you?" whispers low, so low. So much that Baekhyun doesn't react immediately and when he catches it he really considers hitting Jongdae's head. If he does not is because now is not the best moment.

Baekhyun circles Jongdae's waist with his free hand. Taking his time as if they're not in danger, he places his lips over the crown of Jongdae's head. "I'm not going to tell you how much I love you until this is over," mumbles enunciating more than saying, his thumb caressing Jongdae's lower stomach.

Trying to overtake Jongdae, Baekhyun jumps and takes two steps ending in front of Jongdae and closer to the zombies. He feels Jongdae's alarm and annoyance when he pulls him back, trying to pass before him. They're both about to reveal their spot, when light emanates somewhere from a lower floor, freezing them and brighten five zombies that, drawn to the light or to whoever is out there, begin to stumble downstairs without discovering the two figures totally petrified against each other just a meter up.

Once they are out of the way, they run to the door, opening it and entering the 1st basement.

"Don't you ever dare to do that again" scolds Jongdae, his voice's still a whisper.

"Don't _you_ ever say that again"

Jongdae takes one step closer to Baekhyun. The hallway empty at his back. Softly he strokes his cheek, letting his sad eyes to find Baekhyun's.

"But I do love you," says with a smile too sad, too agonizing, too defeated. A smile that is miles away from Jongdae characteristic smile.

"Don't make it sound it like a farewell, Kim Jong Dae"

Fast, fleeting, because there's no time though there's need, Baekhyun kisses him and Jongdae closes his eyes returning it.

"Let's go rescue our boys," ends Jongdae barely distancing himself, smiling against Baekhyun's lips who, incapable to hold himself back, kisses him again.

 

 

*******

"Wait!" says Yesung catching Sehun's, Jongin's and Chanyeol's attention as they were jogging with their cue sticks sharpened by a fruit knife. "There are boats"

Their questioning faces are easy to read. 

"There." Yesung's fingertip pointing at the window and the sea beyond. "Boats. Go and get Baekhyun, I'll be here preparing everything." Their faces contort with suspicion and doubt. "I'm not going to leave you behind. But somebody has to prepare it. I'm open to anyone joining me, of course, but I was guessing your answers."

They look at him in silence until Sehun sighs. "We will be right back," answers and Chanyeol avoids explaining that after finding Baekhyun he is going to look for Kyungsoo and Jongdae, wherever they are. That 'right back' sounded impossible. "We will take one of the tower's staircase to the 1st basement where the spa is. Wait for us"

Sehun and Jongin keep walking, but Chanyeol stops. Striding towards Yesung, he hugs him.

"Thanks for saving us, professor," says. "See you soon"

Trying not to make any noise, they push the emergency door that leads to the staircases. Their cue sticks always aiming to the front, Jongin swinging his to prevent a surprising approach.

Inside everything is dark. They can only see because of the opened door. Though they don't need to see anything to figure out that there are beings walking down the stairs.

"Get ready," whispers Sehun.

They don't think, just act. Sehun fails to stab the first zombie, making him stop and barely dodge the zombie's attack. Jongin thrusts his cue stick into a second zombie, but that doesn't detain the zombie. Chanyeol is behind them, the trembling stick in his hand, or rather, his trembling hand. It's stupid but he's looking at the zombies' faces. Gaunt, putrefied, gory, rabid. There's no a familiar face among them and that helps Chanyeol to see everything from afar and focus on them. And, when the zombie that is about to bite him is pushed by the zombie behind him, Chanyeol shoves Sehun aside and lets out a battle cry charging with all his force piercing both zombies with his cue stick.

Jongin's fury scream mimics Chanyeol's and soon shears another zombie.

There's only two zombies left and only one cue stick, except that the other zombies seem unaffected by the stick inside their guts, all of them moving forward to attack Chanyeol, Sehun and Jongin again.

"Step back," commands Sehun, placing his stick in a horizontal way between them and the zombies.

Without any way out, they're about to back down and turn back when they hear hollers and grunts warning them that more zombies were coming.

"We are dead," says Jongin with his eyes wide open observing the horde of zombies at the furthest part of the corridor running toward them.

They don't need to consider if those are better than the 5 that are in front of them. Chanyeol moves without hesitation, closing the door and shrouding them in darkness.

Suddenly, the only noises are Chanyeol's, Sehun's and Jongin's arrhythmical breathing.

"They aren't moving," whispers Sehun, getting a growl but not a bite as a reply. "Can they only feel us with their eyes?"

The answer seems affirmative, but they don't dare to prove it.

"Give me a mobile," murmurs Chanyeol. Jongin handing it in without stutter, Chanyeol throwing it down the stairs. "Call Jongin," whispers to his smartwatch, and Jongin's mobile turns on, lighting itself and catching the zombies' attention who dart past them, the three of them crouching in the corner.

Getting up, they go upstairs making no noise. Finally reaching the upper floor, they open the door without checking if there's someone. When they realized, it's too late, and two bodies leap on Chanyeol.

 

 

*******

Jongdae is not crying. Indeed, he's a person who rarely does so, but his eyes are filled with unshed tears while he hugs Chanyeol. Baekhyun at his right trying to embrace Chanyeol and Jongdae at the same time. He doesn't cry, though somebody does, because there are teardrops falling on his forehead. Looking up, he sees Chanyeol with red eyes and nose, his shoulders shaking slightly.

"I was so scared"

"Are you okay?"

"I love you, I love you, I love you"

Their sentences sound at the same time. Their answers, too. Like a cacophony of voices. Baekhyun, tenderly, wipes Chanyeol's tears with the sleeves of Jongdae's bathrobe.

"Hey," greets Jongdae realizing they're not alone and there are two other people holding hands.

Separating himself from Chanyeol, even if it's hard, he heads to hug Sehun and Jongin.

"Jongdae!"

The scream is as piercing as the teeth that bury in his shoulder. Jongdae doesn't know where are the sobs coming from, but the whining is definitely his as the teeth bite his neck. The pain is unbearable, running through his body. There's someone fighting but his eyes remain unfocused. He feels his legs giving up, his knees crashing against the ground with a thud. His hands, pointless and fruitless, cover the wound in his neck.  

There are hands touching his face, someone kneels in front of him.

"Don't you dare, Jongdae. If you die, I'll kill you, do you hear me?"

Jongdae wants to laugh at Baekhyun's absurd threat, but his voice sounds like a whimpering and that and that he doesn't have enough strength, stop him.

He feels someone's lips, maybe Baekhyun's, kissing him, whispering something. Kissing his cheek. A finger wiping a tear that must have fallen from his own eye. Someone strokes his hair. Jongdae doesn't know what they're saying but it's calming, affectionate, sweet. It's a pity that his body is too weak to answer. His head falls colliding with something tough. _Chanyeol's chest_ thinks his brain. His precious Chanyeol. His precious Baekhyun.

"Kyungsoo," gets to say, before his body starts convulsing.

 

 

*******

"What's the point in having a mobile if you are not going to pick it up," mutters Kyungsoo calling Baekhyun's phone again. His mind tells him that maybe there's none to pick up the phone, but it's easier to think something more banal, more mundane, such as Baekhyun being busy and not in the middle of a apocalypses zombie, or that there's no signal. Never considering Baekhyun's death.

The original plan was to stay inside the cabinet. But he can't. He can't, knowing that Jongdae, Baekhyun and Chanyeol are somewhere in this ship, requiring his help.

By the time he made it to the cabinet's floor, he realized he didn't have his key because Jongdae kept it with his when they went to join Baekhyun at the spa. He waited for fifteen minutes at their door until he saw those beings running around, deciding then to simply get inside Minseok's cabinet.

That's when he came up with an idea that could be described as stupid or pretty smart and useful.

Kyungsoo was jumping from a balcony to another adjacent. He never would have defined himself as an athletic person. There was a time when his three boyfriends frequented their gym and had tried to convince him with all type of sexual and culinary suggestions. That didn't mean that he was unfit and jumping now holding a robot vacuum prove it. Waiting for Jongdae and Baekhyun, he decided to grab Minseok's backpack, stuff it with bottles of water and a hand fire extinguisher and, picking up Minseok's tiny robot vacuum, he left to rescue his boyfriends.

When he finally jumps inside the last balcony, he slides the crystal door, opening it just some centimetres, letting enough space to push the vacuum inside, connecting it to his mobile. Hiding behind the wall, checks through the map made by the vacuum's scan that it's empty. Sneaking away, he lets the vacuum do his work scanning the corridor. It's tiny, being easier to move between obstacles. There's no one. No zombies, no people. It's worrisome.

With determined steps, with his backpack and a boat roar, walks to the heated pool avoiding to take the path to the square. The vacuum warns him not to take the stairs because there're various moving obstacles there and then he gets another clever or stupid idea: use the toboggan that ends up on the lower floor. He doesn't do so because suddenly there's a noise coming from the toboggan. Not knowing what to do, Kyungsoo hides behind a column, leaving the vacuum behind so it can scan if someone is approaching him.

At his right, he sees adolescents running with only his suits. Kyungsoo stays put, even when a herd of zombies appears chasing them. The last one of them turns, looking at the vacuum, searching for anything alive. Kyungsoo circles the column, trying not to get caught.

"Shit. Go back. Don't come up, Sehun, get down"

Give Kyungsoo as many diopters as you want, but when it comes to his auditory system he was never wrong, especially when it comes to their voices. He could distinguish them anywhere.

Biting his tongue, refraining him from shouting their names, he sees the zombies turning and heading toward them.

Running, he wields his oar and lunges it against the first zombie that was getting dangerously close to Baekhyun who is standing in front of the slide.

"I can't Chan, I can't go back. Jongdae is down there, I can't, I can't. " Baekhyun hasn't even seen him, he's backwards, his distressed eyes fixed on Chanyeol who is pushing him towards the toboggan.

"Down! Now!" yells Kyungsoo startling them both as he hits the zombie again.

"Soo!" screams Baekhyun and Kyungsoo can't look at him but he knows he's crying.

"Try to get close and the next person I hit with my oar is you, Baek. Move your ass and go down the slide"

Baekhyun nods, hypnotized by Kyungsoo. His messy hair, his sweaty body and his gaze which is as fierce as if he was recording one of these action movies for their college. He's so mesmerized that he doesn't complain when Chanyeol pushes him.

"Soo, now you," orders Chanyeol seeing all the zombies getting closer. They're not going to survive, not the both of them, but they can still try. "Soo!"

"No"

"This is not the time to be stubborn, please," begs Chanyeol, Sehun's cue stick destroyed in his hand. Kyungsoo ignores him. _I'm not going to lose you, too._

Firmly, throws the stick and tackles Kyungsoo, picking him up on and placing him on his shoulder. He can't hear his reaction with all the grunts, though he can imagine it.

"Mind your head," warns, before taking his oar and throwing him into the toboggan, following him close behind.

Once Kyungsoo touches the ground, he stands up waiting for Chanyeol to arrive. Some arms surround his waist and he automatically returns it, squeezing Baekhyun against him. Chanyeol arrives seconds later, pushing them urging them to move. That's when Kyungsoo realizes they're not alone. Sehun is there talking to a girl, meters away from them. And then he sees them.

"No" whispers. Jongin and Jongdae are on the other side of the cracked crystal wall. His roommate and his boyfriend. "No, no, no," repeats taking baby steps toward them.

Sehun is giving them his back on purpose. Chanyeol is looking at the ground, unable to see Jongdae like that, his Jongdae, knowing he's no longer his.

"Dae," says Soo getting closer. Baekhyun tries to stop him taking his hand. Kyungsoo's proximity making them more frantic, hungrier.

The crystal ends up ceding, Jongdae and Jongin falling and getting up quickly. Sehun has no time to react when Jongin bites him. His voice, usually low, elevating to the highest pitch.

"Dae, stay away," says Baekhyun without removing his hand from Kyungsoo's and taking a step back, his eyes focused on that being that once was his boyfriend.

Jongdae has a blank look, his eyes bluish just like that one time when he and Baekhyun wore colour contact lens for a party.  His torso is naked, bloodstained and he has an infected wound in his neck. All the zombies he has seen are fast, not in a supernatural way, but definitely not as slow as Jongdae. It's stupid to believe there's a cure or that he is different for the rest, that they can save Jongdae. That Jongdae recognizes them. That he's fighting. Jongdae has always been a fighter, but Kyungsoo has always been realistic. And if someone gets bitten, it doesn't matter how much Kyungsoo loves that person. Because he's no longer a person. He's no longer his Jongdae.

Rummaging through his backpack, he takes out the little extinguisher.

Standing still, letting Jongdae get closer, he lifts the nozzle aiming at him and showers him with extinguishing agent. The foam covering Jongdae's eyes, making him stop, seemed lost at the lack of sight.

"Let's go," says Chanyeol behind them, his eyes on Jongdae, who with all the foam looks like him. Jongin and Sehun are eating the girl that was hiding at the spa alive. "Yesung is waiting for us, let's go"

They don't look back. They _can't_ look back. Just run. Running through the corridor ignoring the screams, through the stairs ignoring the grunts. Running passing by the rooms where people and zombie fights.

When they arrive, there's no one. There is no trace of Yesung. No boats left. Through the window, they can see two boats rowing away.

Defeated, Baekhyun grabs Kyungsoo's and Chanyeol's hand. The three of them observing the boats, the infinite sea.

"This can't end this way"

The screams are getting closer, but no one turns around. Until Chanyeol sees it.

"There is an emergency ship. A police ship. There, do you see the lights? Let's go"

Baekhyun tugs his hand. "Let's go? Can't you see the meters of water that separate us?"

"Let's swim. There must be a life-preserver for you around here," Baekhyun bites his lips, forcing himself to not think in Jongdae, to not be pessimistic, to not say that this is pointless, that he doesn't know if he prefers dying here or in the sea. There's no time. No time to search for a life-preserver.

"Chanyeol." They hear from outside.

The three of them peeking into the rail. Down, on a boat, it's Yesung beaming at them hiding under a shadow of a balcony.

"C'mon, there's no time to lose, jump!"

Chanyeol turns, a smile reflecting his deciduous joy. Firstly he holds Baekhyun's face and kisses him taking him by surprise. Then, he makes the same with Kyungsoo, closing his eyes just a moment to forget about what is getting closer. Next, he raises Kyungsoo again around his waist, bearing his kicks and his death threats, and throws Kyungsoo to the sea beside Yesung's boat.

"Park Chanyeol, dare to do the same with me and I'll destroy everything you love," menaces Baekhyun taking a step back from Chanyeol.

"You, you are what I love. You and that little one I have just thrown. Do you promise me not to fight with Kyungsoo over bullshit now that Jongdae and I won't be there?"

"Chany…" Baekhyun's voice is interrupted with Chanyeol's scream when a zombie attacks his back. Then another one.

It doesn't stop Chanyeol who just picks Baekhyun up and throws him away, ignoring his pleas.

Baekhyun sunk. And for one moment Kyungsoo's heartbeat halts until Baekhyun's head surfaces, his hands hitting the water trying to stay afloat. He fell away from where the boat is, but Kyungsoo doesn't hesitate and dives into the water.

"I have you, I have you. Place your head here, on my palm" asks. Baekhyun obeys, his face up, his eyes closed to not see Chanyeol or what is left of him. Then he hears the splash, the paddles. Yesung screaming. Kyungsoo cursing.

If he keeps his eyes closed, will everything disappear? Could they go back to that evening when he comes back home from his internship, drained, tired, Kyungsoo waiting for him at home and Chanyeol and Jongdae at one of their dates? Wait and see if they don't come back upset, had joked Baekhyun. Because a person who doesn't like to lose in the same group as someone who doesn't care to win, can't have a happy ending. Chanyeol had been a fool for accepting Jongdae as his partner. But, of course, who can say no to Jongdae? Baekhyun arrived more tired than any other day. Angry because again he wasted his time working on a project for nothing. Soo was in his room, practising one of his college plays. He didn't even reciprocate Baekhyun's kisses, doesn't even listen to Baekhyun's complains. Are you sure you have feelings or are you just acting from time to time? You're such a good actor, said Baekhyun sarcastically. When Kyungsoo looked at him he knew he has crossed a line. His words were too hurtful. And then Kyungsoo replied. He can't even remember what he said. Bullshit. All this time that they didn't talk to each other. Chanyeol and Jongdae taking turns to be with them both.

When he opens his eyes, he will be in Seoul. Apologizing, showering Kyungsoo with kisses, waiting for Jongdae and Chanyeol to come home. And then Chanyeol will cook his famous pasta with kimchi and Jongdae will start talking about his kids at the voluntary work.

_Everything is going to be okay, This was just a nightmare._

He doesn't notice the hand under his head going away, doesn't feel someone grabbing his legs. He keeps his eyes closed, remembering moments.

"I have you, boy"

When he opens his eyes, he's on a ship. On _the_ ship that Chanyeol saw before. He's afraid to turn around and not find Kyungsoo beside him.

"Are you okay? They made an emergency call a couple of hours ago but we sent some members and they haven't returned"

Baekhyun looks at him, speechless and burst into tears.

 

 

*******

The sun beat down drying the blood covering his hands and face. The heat was unbearable, the tiredness was immeasurable but what made him go slowly were his thoughts, his memory, the echo of Chanyeol's wailing, the lifeless blue eyes of Jongdae.

"Are you hurt? We can't let you pass if you have been bitten. Examine him!"

He can't even understand what they're telling him now, though he offers no resistance when they take off his backpack and remove his shirt. He feels something wet on his face, realizing moments later that are his tears.

"Did you come alone?"

"Yes" answers Kyungsoo.

**Author's Note:**

> Bienvenido to my first finished fic. I don't even know what I have done, but I do know that without mod corgi, Ani, my prompter and you, reader, this wouldn't be possible. 
> 
> Firstly, as a prompter, as a reader and as a novice writer, thank you mod corgi for making this possible. The happiness that this festival makes me feel is unmeasurable. Your patience with my incompetence when meeting a deadline is unmeasurable too. 
> 
> Ani, I treasure you as much as I can. I have given up so many times and still, you are always supporting me. I guess my time reading your +18 thoughts have been really paid off ^_^
> 
> Prompter, thank you for giving us this gift.
> 
> Writer, I hope I made you travel to another universe. Once that would never happen, tg. Thank you for reading. 
> 
> Any comment, any kudo will be welcomed. 
> 
> P.S.: English is not my first language so I encourage you to point out my errors.


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